Helpful kitchen tips for struggling chefs

[Jean Louise Finch]

Greetings all,

Please please share your best time-saving, flavor enhancing kitchen tips with me, a struggling would-be chef who can't spontaenously cook worth a damn.

1. How to pit an avocado. Cut the avocado in half the long way, and pull the sides apart with the pit stuck in one side. Holding that half in your hand, thwack the pit with a knife. Twist, and out pops the pit (if the avocado is ripe.
2. How to avoid the woody bits in asparagus. Hold either end and snap -- wherever it snaps is where it's meant to be eaten for maximum deliciousness and avoiding chewiness -- though sometimes you're left with not very much.

Share yours!
Jean Louise

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

1. The avocado thing is one of the few kitchen things I know.

Probably because avocados don't require cooking and I eat them like crazy.

[Jean Louise Finch]

2. and because they are the perfect food!

Honestly, just give me an avocado and a spoon, and I'll be happy for at least twenty minutes.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

3. I like to put a little Frank's Hot Sauce on it. nt

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

4. Mangos keep me busy for a pretty decent amount of time too. nt

[Jean Louise Finch]

5. Oh yes!

It's mango season here and I make myself sick on them. They are just so sensuous and sinful. Yum!

Strangely, I am really allergic to the skin but if i remove it, can eat them happy as a clam for ages.

Hoorah for pitted soft things!

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

7. I read once that most people are allergic to the skin.

I don't eat the skin, but I'm also not allergic to it. I'm also not allergic to poison ivy and such though, so I'm weird.

[Jean Louise Finch]

19. Weird but lucky!

My dad didn't used to be allergic to poison ivy, but then he got cocky and basically played around in it, and now he gets it worse than anyone. I've never gotten it, but am scared to death of the stuff.

I suspect eating mango skin would be nasty indeed!

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

20. My dad wasn't allergic until he was in his 40s.

Although he did have a severely compromised immune system by then. I don't get cocky with it. I'm not going to rip it out of the ground without protection or anything, but I'm not going to necessarily avoid contact if I'm hiking.

[KitchenWitch]

6. When sauteeing stuff

If you want to use sesame oil, sautee using another oil such as canolo, or olive oil, and add the sesame oil right before you take it off the heat. This way the sesame oil will not burn.

[Jean Louise Finch]

8. Ah ha.

Sesame oil burns at lower heat, does it? And doesn't olive oil burn at a lower heat than canola? I am a disaster with my oils, I just use Olive with everything.

[KitchenWitch]

10. I believe you are right about olive oil as well

but for most purposes, the burn point is not often reached when using olive oil (at least in my kitchen).

[ThomCat]

31. That's important.

Sesame oil can smoke up a kitchen pretty damned quickly.

The same is true when you use any dark oil. Use a light oil and then add the dark oil near the end.

[Mutley]

9. Get some lemon olive oil.

I did, and it's fantastic. I almost feel like I can cook. :D

[Jean Louise Finch]

11. Intriguing!

I imagine that gives a light lovely sort of flavor to all kinds of pasta-ey dishes! I shall seek it out whence next I hit the supermarket. Thanks!

[Mutley]

16. There are all sorts of things you can do with it.

http://web.foodnetwork.com/food/web/searchResults?searchString=lemon%20olive%20oil&site=FOOD&searchType=Recipe

[Jean Louise Finch]

12. Another I just rather painfully discovered

Don't test the hotness of a chili by popping a few of the seeds in your mouth.

Ow! It burns!

on edit: AND DEFINITELY DON'T ITCH YOUR EYE!

[KitchenWitch]

14. Or your nether regions

Do not ask me how I know this!

:blush:

[Jean Louise Finch]

17. But ... but....

I HAVE to ask! Ow!

[KitchenWitch]

18. Cooking led to some cooking, if you know what I mean!

:evilgrin:

[KitchenWitch]

13. Instead of using a roux to thicken sauces

Simply take cornstarch and mix it into a cup of cold water, using enough cornstarch to make the water appear a little more opaque than skim milk. While your sauce is simmering, slowly add the cornstarch mixture to your sauce, stirring constantly until your sauce is the desired thickness.

[KitchenWitch]

15. For those people who do not like cilantro

Thai basil can be substituted into most recipes and offers a nice flavor.

[spinbaby]

21. When I do that with avocado...

...the pit flies across the kitchen.

[AngryAmish]

22. My sister put a steak knife through her hand pitting an avacado

She uses #1 now.

[eyesroll]

23. If you only plan to use half the avocado, leave the pit in the other half.

Cover with plastic (or put in an airtight container). It helps keep the avocado from browning.

You can also stick the pit in guacamole and it'll keep it greener, longer.

[Rabrrrrrr]

24. Keep your knives sharp; and buy EXPENSIVE knives.

Have your butcher sharpen them if you don't know how to sharpen properly.

And when it comes to knives, for the most part, the maxim "you get what you pay for" is absolutely true. Except Chicago Cutlery - that's just expensive shit.

But, for God's sake, keep those knives sharp!! People who stuggle with cooking often have knives that are way too dull.

Oh, and there's a reason for so many different knife sizes and styles: it really does make a difference when you use the right knife for a job.

[SacredCow]

26. Absolutely...

I caught my X cutting apples with one of my Wustoffs... ON A CERAMIC PLATE!!! Twas not a good talk we had that day...

[_testify_]

33. I would tend to agree

except I bought a $10 chef's knife when I worked at a housewares store about 10 years ago. I still have it and it is STILL the sharpest knife in my kitchen.

If not for this bizarre aberration, I would 100% agree that you get what you pay for.

[Shakespeare]

25. Paging SOteric....SOteric, your culinary expertise is requested...

She had a GREAT post a year or so ago with a long list of fantastic cooking tips. If she's not around today, perhaps somebody will remember where the heck it is....

[DS1]

27. Yup, I was just thinking about that

It's probably in her journal...


yup

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/SOteric/3

[Shakespeare]

30. There ya go.

I'm better-than-decent in the kitchen, but even I learned some good stuff in that post. Lots and lots of good info there.

[1gobluedem]

28. Use a potato peeler to thread celery

It gets rid of all the little strings that make people choke.

[libnnc]

29. always put a wet towel under your cutting board

Keeps it from slipping away from you.

[datasuspect]

32. tongs and a sharp chef's knife are

indispensable